Full record for superpower n.

Definition

an ability beyond what is human

OED requirements

antedating 1945

Earliest cite

in Supersnipe Comics Vol. 2, #8

Comment

Jeff Wolfe submitted a 1987 cite from Victor Milan, from the anthology "Wild Cards" edited by George Martin. Rex Smith submitted a 1984 cite from the players' manual for the game "Golden Heroes", and a 1979 cite from the rules for "Villains & Vigilantes".

Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1975 reprint of Larry Niven's "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" from his collection "All the Myriad Ways".
Alexx Kay submitted a cite from Ron Goulart's article "The Second Banana Superheroes" from a 1997 reprint of Lupoff and Thompson's "All In Color For A Dime"; Malcolm Farmer verified the cite in the 1970 first edition.
Cory Panshin submitted a 1966 cite from an article by Alexei Panshin in Riverside Quarterly.
Jay Rudin submitted cites from the April 1958 and December 1959 issues of Adventure comics.
Jay Rudin submitted a 1952 cite from Superman Vol 1, #76.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1945 cite from Supersnipe Comics Vol 2, #8.

Miss Victory was in reality a Washington D.C., secretary. She, too, fought subversion at home and, not having any super powers, had to depend on a second-hand convertible for transportation.

1966A. Panshin in Riverside Q. Jan. 45

The story's premises are not true: there are no Martians of the sort Heinlein writes of, and no super powers are available to those who think proper Martian thoughts.

1971L. NivenMan of Steel, Woman of Kleenex in All Myriad Ways (1975) 77

All known forms of kryptonian life have super-powers.

1979 J. Dee & J. Herman Villains &igilante Vigilantes 1

Players familiar with role-playing games will find most systems employed in these rules to be familiar. Due to the large number of super-powers and weapons they will find parts of the combat system unfamiliar.

1979 J. Dee & J. Herman Villains &igilante Vigilantes 18

If a character has a super-power which raises any of his characteristics to a score of twenty or over, no amount of additional training will raise the rating in that category any further.

1983R. ShortGospel from Outer Space iii. 42

Jesus was very cautious in using the ‘super-powers’ of his Father, although he obviously could have at any time.

1984 S. Burley & P. Haines Golden Heroes 50/1

Freeform Shapechange , characters with this type of Shapechange can transform into any living creature that is approximately the size and shape of a human being. They do not gain any special characteristics or advantages from the change but keep their own normal Attributes (ie those of the original non-superpowered Basic Character), senses, Movement, attacks, etc., and retain no Superpower other than Shapechange, no matter what or who they change into.

1992Locus Aug. 51/2

Comic sf novel about an editor who develops superpowers after exposure to radioactive water.